(1) Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with a machine for lasting heel seat portions of shoes. The term "shoe" where used herein is used generically as indicating articles of outer footwear generally, and as including an article of outer footwear in the course of its manufacture.
(2) Prior Art
In lasting heel seat portions of shoes, especially using metallic fasteners, e.g. tacks, a problem frequently arises in ensuring that the heel seat of the shoe is correctly aligned with heel seat lasting instrumentalities, prior to fastener insertion. One reason for this problem resides in that conventionally the shoe is supported on a last pin, which is accommodated in an appropriately positioned hole in the cone of the last, that such holes, however, often being carelessly drilled with a result that they are either not arranged with their longitudinal axis normal to the surface of the cone of the last, or not positioned centrally of the cone, or both. Where location relies on the position of the last pin hole, therefore, misalignment of the shoe with the heel seat lasting instrumentalities readily arises.
In order to overcome these problems, it has been proposed in a number of cases to enable the last pin to rock about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe bottom, the usual intention being that the operator will, as he presents the shoe to the heel seat lasting instrumentalities, or to a heel band arrangement prior to presentation to such instrumentalities, orient the heel seat in such a manner, using the rocking capability of the last pin, that the marginal portions of the heel seat are appropriately positioned in relation to the heel seat lasting instrumentalities, and thus to the nail pattern, i.e. in which the fasteners are to be inserted.
Whereas it is acceptable to rely on operator skill to ensure that the shoe is properly presented in machines which are manually operated, such an arrangement is not acceptable in an automatic machine, i.e. a machine in which no operator is used. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved lasting machine in which shoes can be reliably presented automatically to the heel seat lasting instrumentalities.